Ben-DutkaThe PlayStation 4 is finally out in Japan, and Dengeki Online conducted a series of mini-interviews with 57 prominent Japanese developers to ascertain their most anticipated PS4 game. DualShockers has the interesting results.
As you can see, Ubisoft's upcoming title Watch Dogs easily topped the list with 19 votes. The Order: 1886 and Deep Down tallied 9 apiece, and Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and Final Fantasy XV got 8 votes each. Are these the results you expected? One might've predicted the likes of FFXV and MGSV, as they're iconic Japanese franchises, anyway. But Watch Dogs at #1?
Well, one could hazard the theory that considering Japan is a highly technical place – very much into electronics and in fact, the home of many electronic innovations and revolutions – the hacking theme in Watch Dogs makes it attractive to modern Japanese culture. But what about The Order ? And did you notice that Killzone: Shadow Fall got 5 nods?
Yes, interesting to say the least.
I'll never understand why Japanese game developers have this tremendous appreciation gulf between what they are into and what Japanese gamers are into. Even Metal Gear Solid appears to be going western and FFXV will be in a modern realistic setting with action gameplay.
I think we need more Japaneseness to keep things fresh. Western games get generic fast.
I'm not so sure if Japanese gamers really are that much different. COD is the top seller in Japan too…
Sure, the Japanese sales charts do have "local" titles on the lists and "sterotypical Japanese" titles that are not to be found as high (or at all) over here but in essence my impression is that gamers are gamers, simple as that.
Last edited by Beamboom on 2/24/2014 6:25:32 AM
Yeah, like beam said…. f*** diversity!
/sarc
Uhm… I don't see how I said that.
Cod is big there now? I guess my impressions are outdated.
Yes it was a topic on the PSXE the forums a while ago (must be a year or two ago), when a Japanese sales chart were discussed. COD is the best selling franchise there as it is in the rest of the world.
But also other major franchises, like Assassins Creed, is huge there too.
I don't see how that's a surprise at all. The most popular games in the world have always sold well in every region. That was the case when FF used to rule console sales among other Japanese made games. I see no reason why CoD and AC would be any different. It doesn't matter what region a game comes from. The most popular are the most popular.
Outside the small handful of top selling games, though, you definitely see a difference in regional preference and diversity. Because yes… Japanese gamers are different. Just look at handheld sales vs. console sales for a preliminary glance… And the massive success that is Monster Hunter… That is just a starting point.
I'm sure that is just one of many, many details the ever-so-pious forum users overlooked… again. XD
Much truth in what you say there, Underworld. And also, for the record, the discussion was not as unnuanced as you seem to think. We did cover much of the same as you do here in your post.
There are differences. Indeed there are. But the fact that almost knocked over some of the Japanese games fans in the forums, were the fact that indeed COD were the #1 there too. They treated this news as if it was the biggest shock of all time.
But it's true, handhelds are a market in itself that differs hugely from the western markets. There are also a lot of those "oddball" games (sing games, rhythm games, "weird stuff" games) that are much much bigger over there.
But if we look at the major titles, the ones that is moving some serious cash and massive gamer crowds the differences start to become less apparent. And *that* is what the developers see.
This is, in my humble opinion, a fact that has been far too overlooked when the "westernisation" of the Japanese franchises is discussed: The Japanese devs see that their *own* crowd, on their own home turf, TOO enjoy the western formula games.
I can trust Atlus and NIS to stay and sing along with the regular Japanese tune. Just be yourself…is what I say when going about daily life, or in this case – making games.
it was surprising and not at the same time and interesting to see what the japanese have to say
happy gaming =)